The Easy Things
by Tara Laurel
Summary: "Bobby Mercer never wanted to leave. He didn't plan on it. Just one winter's day he found himself gone." Sequel to The Little Things. Can be read by itself. For the first time in his life, Bobby takes the easy way out. He runs away from his problems, only to discover that, not only do they follow him, but he somehow manages to create even more on his way.
1. Prologue

**TITLE: **The Easy Things

**CHAPTER/TITLE: **Prologue

**RATING: **T (language and mature content)

**SUMMARY: **Pre-Movie.

**A/N: ** So, as stated, this is sort of a "sequel" to "The Little Things." I have an entire series in the works for "The Little Things" (The Easy Things, The Hard Things, The Impossible Things, etc) Some are shorter, like The Little Things, and this one, The Easy Things. I think of them more as preludes or prequels to a big story or two to come that are almost already done. This story is very Bobby-heavy. Sorry for the lack of the other brothers, especially Jack, but this little chapter in Bobby's life is important for the next story. I will warn you that there is an OC, but she does NOT take center stage. This is about BOBBY. Actually, all of this started by going to "Johnny Mercer's Pier" in North Carolina. Well, you'll see how later. If it doesn't make sense with the ending of The Little Things at first, just keep reading. Enough of my nonsense.

**DISCLAIMER: ** .Nothing (sad sigh)

**I love reviews like Bobby loves new hockey skates.**

**Prologue**

_All difficult things have their origin in that which is easy, and great things in that which is small.  
- Lao Tzu _

Bobby Mercer never wanted to leave. He didn't plan on it. Just one winter's day he found himself gone. He had stayed to help his brother's fix their mother's home. He had been there for Daniela's sixth and Amelia's third birthdays. He had gone to Evelyn's grave on her birthday and had downed quite a few shots at Johnny's in honor of Jack's. He had stayed long enough to no longer notice his mother's familiar scent. Jack's room went closed and untouched, while Bobby did little more than sleep in his mother's room. He even held down a steady job at a local bar until Jeremiah got his own business up and running and Bobby took that offer that was made what felt like years ago.

Bobby Mercer never meant to leave. Yet winter came, and with it, memories. Memories Bobby Mercer thought he had locked away for good. That first snowfall had been unusually heavy, on the ground and on Bobby's heart. He had stepped out the front door and been met with a blinding vision. The snow pile underneath the light post was stained crimson. Gunshots echoed in his ears. He felt his pulse quicken to an unnatural rate and he nearly dove behind the front porch in the sudden panic attack. Of course, it wasn't a real panic attack. It was a vicious memory assault. Bobby had witnessed the true nature of panic attacks when Jack had first entered their lives.

The thought of Jack had pushed Bobby over the proverbial edge. He simply couldn't take it all. He had tried so hard to put on his eldest brother face, stiffen his upper lip and keep moving forward. In that one moment, it was as if everything Bobby had done to overcome the tragedy was blown away with the echoes of the gunshots in his mind.

It didn't take him long to turn around, head upstairs and pack his things. Bobby slung his bag over his shoulder and headed down the hall, pausing, as he always did, at that closed door.


	2. Chp 1 - Leaving

**TITLE: **The Easy Things

**CHAPTER/TITLE: **Chapter One/ Leaving

**RATING: **T (language and mature content)

**SUMMARY: **Pre-Movie.

**A/N: **Sorry it's been a LONG time since I posted the prologue! I wanted to get farther into writing and finishing this before posting it but I got sidetracked.

Yes, this story is mainly Bobby. But there is a lot of Jack flashbacks, etc for you Jack-oholics out there. Remember, this is the sequel to The Little Things. Jack isn't dead, but he is still in a coma in the hospital. I kind of envisioned this story happening WHILE The Little Things was happening. So while Bobby goes off, Jack is having his little dreamwalk. Make sense? ...I hope so.

**DISCLAIMER: ...**

**Chapter One: Leaving**

_"Wake up, wake up, this ain't just a thing that you/ Give up, give up, don't you say I'd be/Better off…without you." – The Little Things, by Colby Caillat_

"Jack," Bobby shook his head and sank down into a chair, "when Ma first brought you to us, you had had some fucked up shit happen to you and you wouldn't talk to no one. It was freakin' weird, man – and annoying as fuck. I tried so damn hard to get you to say somethin'. I tried raggin' on you to see if you'd get pissed and yell at me or something. You didn't. 'Course, there was that time where you kicked me in the shin." Bobby grinned, but frowned when he found no similar response to the memory on his brother's face. "You were locked away in your head someplace – reliving what happened to you. You remember what the first thing you said to me was?"

It killed Bobby a bit inside when Jack didn't reply. He had to remember. That day had been etched in their brains for all eternity; the spark that ignited their unexplainable bond and Bobby's fierce need to protect Jack.

"You were about to get the shit beat outta' you and you screamed. You screamed out for me – my name. You were scared and you called out for me. You slipped into one of your episodes or whatever – freakin' out and not breathin' and shit – remembering something fuckin' awful. We got through all that together. You told me everything after that – piece by piece – but we made it. We made it, Jack. You made it. You beat all that shit. Jack, you called out for me again. I heard you screamin', man. I couldn't get to you and I'm sorry as hell. You got to believe me. This not talkin' shit can't – you can't do this to me after everything –" Bobby cut himself off with a cough and continued. "We did it before. We beat that shit before. We can do it again. Come on, man. Don't do this. Would Ma want you back like this? She worked so hard to help you and now you're throwin' it all away. You're acting like that little boy, Jack. Not like a man. You are a grown man, you are a Mercer, and you are a hell of a lot stronger than this shit. You're insulting her, you know? You're spitting in her face when you do this! Is that what you want, huh? Is it?"

Bobby leapt from the chair then. It took everything he had to not throw the piece of furniture across the room.

"You're so selfish, Jack! So fuckin' selfish. Didn't think 'bout us! Just ran out in that damn street. So stupid. You don't even think! Don't ever use your head! Never thought what you bein' – like this – would do to your family. To me."

Bobby slid back in the chair once more, grasping his brother's hand.

"Just say somethin', Jack. Say anything. Tell me to stay 'n I'll stay. Come on, fairy. You remember how hard you used to throw a fuckin' fit whenever I left. You 'n your fuckin' abandonment shit, or whatever Ma called it. No matter how many damn times I left and came back, every time I walked out that door, you thought I was gone for good. Jackie, you're – you're the one that's gone nowand – and they say you ain't ever comin' back. And I don't know what to do. Jerry 'n Angel, they don't need me no more. Jer's got his girls and Camille. Angel's got Sofi. Don't you fucking tell no one, but that crazy bitch is startin' to grow on me. She helped Angel a lot – you know – with all this. Who do I got? Huh?"

"Jack, you guys – you're my brothers. You're all I got. I'm supposed to protect you. If I can't even do that, then what the fuck good am I? Huh? I swore to myself, to Ma, that I'd protect you. I swore! Now, look at you. Laid up in here like this. 'Cause 'a me. I never shoulda' come back, Jackie. Never shoulda' came. And now I gotta do what's right, you know? I can't stay. I can't stay and watch you die. And I can't stay 'n get anyone else hurt or killed."

"So, I'm leavin', Jack. And this time, I ain't comin' back. I'm sorry, Cracker Jack. I'm sorry."

Bobby pushed himself from the chair with less force this time. Wincing, Bobby finally let go of Jack's hand. With one final glance, Bobby closed his eyes and walked away from his brother.


End file.
